- Joined
- May 4, 2008
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 0
I know, I know, its a common question, and I've spent the last few hours reading old threads and its been very confusing. So, I would like to open a thread to begin a discussion about my current situation.
I have a 2.85 GPA at UCB (4th year). My first two years declined due to a family death, in addition to my father undergoing surgery for a severe condition. However, I had not gotten back on track in time after this event in my life, and I have only shown improvement within the last semester or so. My science pre-reqs are filled with Cs and Bs.
I am confident that I can excel in a SMP, and from my current diagnostics tests for MCATs, I will score somewhere around 35+.
Now, after searching around, I've read recommendations on taking a post-bacc instead of an SMP. I've read that since UG gpa is what matters more, a post-bacc would benefit most situations, even for those who have taken pre-reqs already, since many programs allow you to take upper divison courses. However, after a year of 4.0 grades at a post-bacc, I realized that my gpa would probably only go up around 0.2 points.
This is still low, and I think a 2.8 or a 3.0 would look the same, but a 4.0 at an SMP would make me a stronger applicant (as opposed to a 4.0 at a post-bacc and a slightly higher overall undergrad GPA). What is the consensus here?
Then recently, I read a thread about where HCP sponsored students are now. Many of them responded that they were accepted into competitive medical schools, and some at ivy leagues and harvard medical school. Is this because you're labeled as "HCP sponsored?"
What I've gathered is that I can take an SMP, and strengthen my application so that I am a little more competitive, but only for the low-mid tier schools. Then I read about HCP sponsored students, who are competitive at top-tier schools?
Thank you for any input and for your time.
I have a 2.85 GPA at UCB (4th year). My first two years declined due to a family death, in addition to my father undergoing surgery for a severe condition. However, I had not gotten back on track in time after this event in my life, and I have only shown improvement within the last semester or so. My science pre-reqs are filled with Cs and Bs.
I am confident that I can excel in a SMP, and from my current diagnostics tests for MCATs, I will score somewhere around 35+.
Now, after searching around, I've read recommendations on taking a post-bacc instead of an SMP. I've read that since UG gpa is what matters more, a post-bacc would benefit most situations, even for those who have taken pre-reqs already, since many programs allow you to take upper divison courses. However, after a year of 4.0 grades at a post-bacc, I realized that my gpa would probably only go up around 0.2 points.
This is still low, and I think a 2.8 or a 3.0 would look the same, but a 4.0 at an SMP would make me a stronger applicant (as opposed to a 4.0 at a post-bacc and a slightly higher overall undergrad GPA). What is the consensus here?
Then recently, I read a thread about where HCP sponsored students are now. Many of them responded that they were accepted into competitive medical schools, and some at ivy leagues and harvard medical school. Is this because you're labeled as "HCP sponsored?"
What I've gathered is that I can take an SMP, and strengthen my application so that I am a little more competitive, but only for the low-mid tier schools. Then I read about HCP sponsored students, who are competitive at top-tier schools?
Thank you for any input and for your time.
